Work and play together
Linking computers to create a network greatly expands their capacity and can even save you money! Does your home contain two or more computers? By networking them, you can:
• Share a single Internet connection. Microsoft® Windows® XP has a feature called Internet Connection Sharing (ICS). Using ICS, one computer, called the ICS host, shares its Internet connection with the rest of the computers on the network. By sharing one Internet connection, you can simultaneously surf the Web on your computer while another family member checks e-mail on a different computer.
• Share a printer, scanner, and other hardware. You may have a printer that is connected to a computer in another room. With home networking, you can print to this printer from your computer. You no longer have to copy a file onto a floppy disk and take it to the computer that has the printer.
• Share files and folders. Suppose your child asks you to look at a school report that is located on the computer in his or her bedroom. When computers are networked together you can, for instance, open the file from your computer, make changes, and then save the file on your child's computer.
• Play multi-computer games. By networking and sharing an Internet connection, family members can play games on separate computers with each other or on the Internet. And while they're playing, you can be surfing the Web, too — for example, visiting your favorite financial or sports sites.
And there's more: Microsoft Windows XP makes home networking easier than ever. But first you must link your computers together, by installing appropriate hardware in each and by joining the computers with wires or by means of wireless technology. This article explains the process from start to finish. You'll learn how to choose the right network technology for your home, the right components to obtain, and how to install and connect them properly. There's also a section on protecting your home network from outside hackers by creating a secure barrier called a firewall, the same as that used by businesses.
You'll need to base your network on one or more of the network technologies, or types, described below. In every case, however, you'll need these basics:
• One computer equipped with Windows XP and Internet access. This computer will serve as the network's central unit, or Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) host. It should be your fastest, most capable machine.
• One or more additional computers running Windows XP, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98 Second Edition, or Windows 98. These computers are called clients and will connect to the ICS host.
• Individual network adapter for each computer.
You can include Windows 95, Windows 2000, Macintosh or UNIX/Linux computers on your home network. However, these computers may require additional software to allow you to share folders or a printer. Consult the documentation that came with those computers.
Sharing connections
Although Windows XP and your network make sharing an Internet connection possible, your Internet service provider (ISP) may forbid two or more people sharing the same Internet account simultaneously. Check with your ISP for rules or restrictions it might have for home networks.
Network types
While there are several different network types, this article explains the three most popular types for home networks:
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ETHERNET - the current standard technology and the one used by most businesses; links computers via special cable and a device called a hub.
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HPNA (home phoneline network adapter) - links computers via existing household telephone wiring.
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WIRELESS - links computers without wiring, by using radio signals.
The following table lists other properties, advantages and disadvantages of each network type:
ETHERNET Ethernet RJ-45 cables and a network hub.(Hardware needed in addition to network adapter)
AdvantagesCurrently the fastest, most reliable, least costly network technology. Most DSL and cable modems use Ethernet connections.
DisadvantagesRequires cables linking computers or Ethernet wiring (similar to phone wiring) installed in walls.
HPNATelephone cables and phone jacks(Hardware needed in addition to network adapter).
AdvantagesEasy installation; computers simply plug into ordinary phone jacks
DisadvantagesRequires a phone jack near each computer.
WIRELESSMay need an access point, a piece of hardware that acts as a central transmitter of radio signals between computers. Using an access point allows networking between any two computers on the system and expands the area radio signals are sent.
AdvantagesMobile; you can move your laptop or desktop computer from room to room while remaining connected to the network.
DisadvantagesAll networked computers must be within a specified distance to communicate with each other. Currently, wireless networks lack some of the capability of networks using physical connections. The cost of an access point is an additional expense to setting up the system.
Network termsCable modem – A modem that connects a computer to a cable TV service that delivers Internet access.
DSL – (Digital Subscriber Line); A technology that greatly increases the capacity of ordinary telephone wires to carry digital information.
Hub – A hardware device that connects network components at a central location and transfers data between all of them.
RJ-45 cable – (Registered Jack-45); Eight-wire telephone cable used for linking computers to a local area network (LAN).
Network adaptersAll computers on a network require a hardware device called a network adapter. The easiest and fastest network adapters to install are external; that is, they connect to a computer via the USB port on the outside of the machine.
Internal network adapters must be installed inside the computer, requiring you to open or remove the computer housing. It is recommended that a qualified technician install an internal network adapter.
To help determine which network technology best suits your needs answer these questions:
• How many computers do you have?
• Where are they located—are they in the same room or different rooms?
• Are any of your computers laptops?
• Do any of your computers have network adapters installed? If so, what are their types (Ethernet, HPNA, or wireless)?
Apply your answers to the following examples of home network layouts and configurations. These suggest how to use the different hardware choices available and can guide you in deciding which hardware you need to buy.
Computers are in the same room
You have a home office and all of your computers are in the same room. In this example setup, the most cost-effective network technology is Ethernet. If none of the computers has an Ethernet network adapter, purchase:
• One USB Ethernet network adapter for each computer.
• One Ethernet network hub with enough ports for connecting each computer.
• RJ-45 network cables for each computer.
Another solution is to buy wireless network adapters for each computer. An added advantage of using wireless adapters, besides eliminating the need for physical wires, is that you can easily add other wireless-equipped computers—such as laptops—later.
It is common in either setup to connect the ICS host computer to the Internet via an external DSL or cable modem attached to an Ethernet network adapter. Should you do this, you must purchase a second Ethernet or wireless network adapter for the host computer. The second adapter is necessary so the computer can communicate with the other computers on the network.
GSM is a cellular network, which means that mobile phones connect to it by searching for cells in the immediate vicinity. GSM networks operate in four different frequency ranges. Most GSM networks operate in the 900 MHz or 1800 MHz bands. Some countries in the Americas (including Canada and the United States) use the 850 MHz and 1900 MHz bands because the 900 and 1800 MHz frequency bands were already allocated.
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